Lipstick Club
by kreechers
Summary: Based on a true story. A girl named Lila goes through some changes during a time of her life.


Prologue

"Lila!"

Don't look back, she told herself.

"Lila! Wait for me!"

Reluctantly, Lila stopped running long enough to turn around and glare at her younger sister.

"Callie! Stop following me!" Lila yelled.

Her sister pursed her lips. Little fingers clutched tight to the well-worn bunny at the little girl's breast. Her chubby arms were wound tightly around the soft bunny neck. Her green church dress was too short but it still looked nice.

"Mama said I could come!" Callie screamed.

"Well, Mama isn't here right now." Lila said. "Go get some ice cream or something."

Lila got a wad of coins from her dress pocket. "Here. Take this and leave me alone!"

"But I want to go to the meeting too!" Callie whispered.

"You're not old enough!" Lila raised her voice.

"I can pretend!" Callie said, adjusting her volume but only a little.

"No you can't!" Lila shouted. "Go away."

And then she ran. Ran so fast her legs were sore, so far that Callie's loud voice was like a whisper now.

Her pace slowed as she came to the old abandoned house. It was awfully large and had flowers running up the sides. She came around to the back shed, which was really big, like the house.

Whispering caused her to smile and prowl around the shed. Then she kicked the door open and screamed, "Boo!"

Every single scream echoed off the walls.

"Holy crap!" Morgan yelled. "Lord, Lila sure can cause a chill to run up my spine."

Morgan was a colored girl of fourteen. She was robust but very pretty and reminded Lila of Queen Latifah. The girl next to her was a shade darker and had red hair. She was skinny and wore a pretty gold coverlet. She smiled at Lila.

"Morning, Lila." She said, happily.

"Morning, Rena." Lila replied.

"What ever happened to 'Good morning Vivian'?" Another girl asked. She was pale white and had curly black hair. Her emerald eyes went lighter.

"Good morning Vivien." Lila huffed, grinning.

"Alright girls, let's get started." Morgan said. "Purpose?"

"To join together as a club." Rena recited, cheerfully.

"Name?" Morgan asked.

"The Lipstick Club." Vivien responded.

"Why?"

"Because we want to kiss boys." Lila answered.

"Rules?" Morgan dared. "First off, every time you go out you have to wear lipstick. If you get kissed then record his name, the date, and kiss the page to show what color. Don't forget to include the color name."

"Always have to tell each other how far the kiss went." Lila supplied. Everyone grinned.

"You must be happy when you kiss the guy." Rena said, still grinning as her cheeks turned rosy.

"You're not allowed to get married." Vivien put in. Everyone turned to her. "Unless you quit the club."

They all laughed.

"Adjourned." Morgan laughed. "Also, you have to have been on at least one date before you kiss him."

Everyone nodded. Then, Morgan grabbed a bag and pulled out four scrapbooks. She gave everyone a book.

"These are what you record your happenings in." Morgan said. "You have to have recorded five days before you can repeat a lip color."

"Fair enough." Lila whispered, leafing through.

Rena pulled out a pen and began jotting something down in the book.

"What are you doing!" Morgan screamed. "Have you kissed somebody today?"

"No!" Rena shouted, flustered. "I'm writing down the rules, so I don't forget. I have bad memory."

That made everyone laugh.

Suddenly, something ripped through Lila's heart. The pain was too much.

"Oh God."

"What?" Everyone said in unison.

Lila looked at everyone, one by one.

"Callie's dead." Lila said.

"How do you know?"

"She's right outside."

Everyone turned to look out the window.

Lying on the ground in front of a man dressed in black pointing a gun at her was Callie. Another gunshot rang out as the man squeezed the trigger. Then, Lila's life fell apart.

Chapter 1

Hysteria.

She wrote it down on her pad and looked back up at her patient.

"Mrs. Daryl?" Lila smiled. "Will you please calm down and tell me what happened with you and your husband?"

Susan looked up from patting her cheeks, which were streaked with tears. She was 46 and had a large bruise on her smooth cheek.

She sniffled. "Oh, I'm sorry, dear. Where was I?"

Lila sighed and placed her pen on the pad.

"Your husband threatened to beat the crap out of this guy and…" Lila smiled at Susan, calmly.

Lila was patient but it was annoying to have to come every Thursday to talk to Mrs. Daryl.

"Oh, then he swat at me!" Susan put her hands on her cheeks.

"You went to the police right?" Lila asked, scribbling down the notes.

Mrs. Daryl went quiet.

Lila narrowed her eyes. "Did you even go to the doctor?"

Again, there was silence. Lila groaned.

"Oh!" Susan exclaimed. "You can't blame me for being afraid!"

"No, but I can blame you for being stupid."

Susan blinked.

"I apologize for being rude, but you should have gotten help. They would've taken care of it." Lila explained.

"You're right, Lila." Susan said, getting up with a smile. "Thank you so much."

"That's quite alright." Lila said, putting her hand on Susan's shoulder. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a date."

Susan cooed. "Is he handsome?"

Lila smiled. "I think so."

After showering and changing, Lila grabbed her keys and jogged out the door. Her BMW sat outside in the parking lot.

About 20 minutes later, she arrived at the ugly pink house. Carrie answered the door.

"Is he ok?" Lila asked worry rising in her voice.

The house was not as ugly as the outside. In fact, it was very peaceful and homey. A large dark blue couch was on the west wall, a light blue was highlighting it as wallpaper.

"Yeah." Carrie said as she started up the stairs. "Slept since you dropped him off."

"You're the best baby-sitter ever, Carrie." Lila commented.

A wail came from the small crib in the corner of the computer room.

"There's my boy!" Lila cooed as she picked up the small blue blanket. "Awe, Mama's here. Don't worry."

The baby looked up at his mother, happily. His small head was crowned with dark hair that looked like his mother's. Blue eyes were rimmed with long eyelashes.

"You're hungry, aren't you?" Lila asked.

She glanced at Carrie. "Thanks again. Michael was fine?" Carrie nodded and Lila smiled. "I have to go. Here." She handed her her money and ran down the stairs to her car.

"I have a place reserved for us for dinner, my sweet." Lila said, buckling Michael up in his car seat. "I even have dessert ready for you when we get home." Lila gestured to her breast. "See? I knew you'd be excited." Lila laughed as Michael grinned.

Going around the hood, Lila muttered, "Men always have to have their hands on a woman's boobs."

As she was getting out of the driveway, a slam hit her car and got the baby screaming.

"Holy shit!" Lila turned her head to check on Michael, who had his hands in the air as he cried, and then her eyes flickered to her car's rear. A red sports car was gleaming.

And the driver seemed pretty pissed off.

"I'll be right back, baby."

Steaming, she jumped out of the car and stomped over to the driver.

He got out and Lila caught her breath.

He was handsome. He was well-built, but kind of lanky. His face was thin, but lined and rough. His deep chocolate eyes were angry but calm and patient.

"What the hell was that?" he yelled.

Lila crossed her arms and cocked her hip.

"What did I do?" Lila shot back. "You were the one that ran into my frigging car!"

The man's eyes widened. "You were the one that was in the way."

Lila glared at him. "I was in the way because I was trying to back out of this house. Maybe you could've been more patient."

"I was patient! I just wasn't paying attention! I was on the damn phone, lady!" he yelled.

"Well, I guess that's why they made Bluetooth." Lila uncrossed her arms. "I guess I was a little rude, as were you."

"Yeah," he smiled and held out his hand. "I'm Nick."

Lila took it and grinned at him. "I'm Lila."

"Well, hi Lila." Nick said. "Can we start over?"

"Sure." Lila answered, warmly.

"So, do you want to have dinner with me?"

"Sure." Lila blinked and shook her head. "Wait, what? No."

"But you just said-"

Suddenly, Michael screamed.

Nick's eyes widened. "You're married?"

"What?" Lila screamed. "No!"

"So, you're baby-sitting?" Nick's eyes shone hopeful.

Lila sighed, heavily. "I wish." She murmured. "No. He's mine, but I was irresponsible."

"So, you're a single mother?" Nick asked. "Interesting." He smiled. "If you got a sitter will you go to dinner?"

Lila sighed. "I can't. We just met."

Nick nodded. "All right." He said, grinning. "But I will be back."

Then, he was gone.

Lila leaned on her car. She nearly jumped when the window came down.

When she turned around she smiled.

Great, she thought. He knows how to open the window.

Michael grinned at his mother.

"Mama's got herself an admirer." Lila said.

The phone rang.

"Damn it!" Lila cursed.

She slipped the knife she was using to cut the tomatoes.

"Hello?" she asked, sleepily with the phone at her ear.

"Lila Elson?" a sultry voice asked.

"Yes?" Lila set down her knife and grabbed a bandage. "This is she."

"This is Vivien Cummings." The voice said.

Lila paused.

"Oh my God." She exclaimed. "Viv? I thought you weren't going to get married?"

"Yeah, well…" Vivien grinned as she stared at her husband, who was sitting across from her. "Vivien Lotters was a boring and selfish brat."

Lila laughed. "Are you in town?"

"Yeah. Cameron and I just got in our hotel." Vivien said as she unzipped her bag.

"Oh, well, do you want to go shopping this afternoon?" Lila asked as she dropped the tomatoes in the grinder. "I miss going to the Wal-Mart and gawking at guys."

Vivien laughed. "I'd love that!" she said. "By the way, I heard you got yourself knocked up."

Lila rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but I'm happy with the baby."

"So, you didn't marry the guy?" Vivien asked, dropping her breadstick that was inches from her mouth.

"No."

"Oh." Vivien stuffed the bread in her mouth. "Well, bring the baby. What's her name?"

"His name is Michael." Lila smiled at her son, who was sitting up and smiling at her.

"Bring him, too." Vivien said and hung up.

Glancing at herself, Lila smiled at Michael.

"How does Mama look?" Lila asked.

The small dressing room chair was occupied by the baby while Lila tried on several pairs of Capris.

Michael gurgled as he gawked at his mother.

Lila smiled.

"How's it coming, Viv?" Lila yelled over to the other stall.

"Help." Vivien gasped.

Lila sighed and picked up Mike. Then, she laughed when she saw Vivien.

Her slim, straight body was wrapped in a lingerie dress. She held her stomach in and breathed.

"Ever heard of a larger size?"

Vivien tried to laugh but it came out as a choke.

"Ok." She unzipped her dress and shooed Lila off.

As she was going into her stall again, she saw him.

He was right there. Watching her. Sunglasses shaded his dark liquid eyes.

After changing, she grabbed Michael and started to leave.

"Hey, Viv?" Lila said through the door.

"Yeah?"

"You're okay right?"

"Yeah, why?" Vivien stuck her head out and stared at Lila, curiously.

"I have to go talk to someone." Lila gestured toward him.

Vivien smiled. "Oh, okay." Then disappeared.

Lila shook her head and walked over to him.

"Are you stalking me, Nick?" Lila asked.

"No, just admiring." He grinned at her.

Lila stopped and shifted Michael over to her other hip.

"So, this must be the little guy I heard yesterday." He pinched Michael's tummy.

"This is Michael or Mike." Lila said.

Nick took him from her.

"Careful, he bites." Lila bit her bottom lip.

"How old is he?" Nick asked, throwing Michael up in the air, making Lila grab his arm.

Nick laughed. "Don't worry. I won't drop him."

"He's 14 months old." Lila said, admiring how Nick handled the baby.

"You look pretty good." Nick commented. "This is the only one right?"

Lila laughed. "No, I have 10 more at home."

Nick stopped and stared at her.

Lila grinned. "I'm joking."

Nick handed over Mike and clutched his chest. "Phew. I thought you…"

He stopped. "You little sneak."

He took off his glasses and grinned at the approaching Vivien.

"Why, hello there." She said.

Nick took her hand and kissed it, winking at Lila. "Good afternoon, ma'am." He grinned. Lila glared.

Vivien gawked. "Well, if I wasn't married, I'd take you home right now."

"Well, I have a date tonight so…" Nick said.

Vivien turned around to stare at Lila. "You…What?"

Lila held up her hands. "I never knew this. And I'm not going." She glared at Nick, who smiled.

"Until later, Lila." He grinned wider and turned.

"You should go!" Vivien said.

"No, I shouldn't."

"I'll watch Mike. He can hang out with Auntie Vivvy."

Lila swallowed.

"Oh." Vivien's eyebrows bunched up. "I'm sorry, Lila. I forgot about Callie."

Lila turned away. "It's okay. I'll go."

A little bit away, Nick grinned. Gotcha.

Chapter 2

He said formal. He didn't say dinner casual.

Now, Lila stood in front of her bedroom mirror and Michael sat on her bed playing with a stuffed elephant.

"Does Mama look pretty?" Lila asked her son.

"I think so."

Lila gasped and turned around. "Mom?"

Christine smiled at her grandson. "You look so grown-up. And you," She turned to her daughter, who wore a red strap dress. It wrapped around her small waist. "God, honey, you look like you're going to a whore house."

Lila's mouth dropped open. "I have a date. Thank you."

Christine gawked at her. "After 6 years you're going on a date?"

"Yes. And I kind of like him."

Christine broke into a grin. "Who is he?"

"Nick." Lila smiled at her. "He is really attractive. He's tall…Um, dark…And really handsome."

"Honey, you're not on a soap opera so you don't have to describe him like that."


End file.
